Conversations-3

Me: Ready for a ride, Zack?

Not really.

Me: What happened? You’re fond of outings.

Sorry to say. Not with you.

Me: Why not? What have I done to you?

You’re too much. Keep ribbing the cabbies.Me: Anything wrong?

You ask too personal questions.

Me: Like what?

Remember the last nite ride from Diplomatic Area to CBD?

Me: I don’t recollect. What did I ask?

You asked Abu Waleed, the taxi driver, his name.

Me: I usually do – everytime …

That’s okay. He promptly replied he’s 70.

Me: Hmmm

Then you asked him stupidly – sorry, Boss! – whether he was married.

Me: And he responded positively.

How many children, you asked him.

Me: Of course and he said 21.

Then you asked: How many wives? Too personal, don’t you think so?

Me: What’s personal? If you recollect, I told him if he does not want to answer, let him not. Still he answered.

Yeah, he said three wives.

Me: In fact, he began naming them….

You cut him short – very impolitely and demanded why he married three…

Me: If you are a human being, you will ask the same question. Unfortunately …. Let me leave it at that.

Abu said, he divorced his first wife after she delivered the first child because …

Me: Abu said, he was expecting a triplet in one go! Mindless and cruel to the woman.

Enough, Boss. You made him spill out his guts and bare his soul to you – an unknown passenger who will pay him a pittance for a short ride. You may never ride his cab because you will leave this city soon. Whether you will return or not is uncertain. Still you are nosey.

Me: Still I don’t find anything wrong.

The climax was unforgettable. …

Me: What?

As we got out of his cab at the destination, he refused to accept fare from you because you’ve been nice to him and he almost hugged you – saying that you are like his long lost younger brother.

Me: The intention was not to save a few Dinars for myself or deprive Abu of his earnings. It so happened.

It was not the first time and Abu was not the only victim. You’ve done it with others as well.

Me: What are you talking about? Can you be specific?

Fuggeddit, Boss. I wonder why you get into this questioning mode. You tried to become a lawyer and failed miserably and taken up the present job. Still not given up, it seems.

Me: Buddy, there are two reasons: one, an inquisitive mind. Second, to kill boredom. Moreover, do you know what Plato and Aristotle taught? Knowledge springs out of questioning.

Boss, do you know what G B Shaw said on the same subject?

Me: What?

Ask not. You will be told no lies.

Me: What are you driving at?

For a moment, think: how much of what Abu told is real? How much is fiction?

Me: You’re a bloody, four-legged spoilsport!

Mind your language, Boss!

Me: Oops!

Woof!

(I collapse on the sofa. After a few minutes, I get up to leave)

Me: I’m going. Are you joining me?

One condition.

Me: What?

You’ll keep your mouth shut during the ride….

Me: Ask not. You will be told no lies!

More to come…